Spring-controlled split switch for railway-tracks.



F. D. EVANS.

SPRING CONTROLLED SPLIT SWITCH FOR RAILWAY TRACKS.

APPLlcATloN FILED FHL-24, 19u.

1,239,262. Patented sept. 4,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1I I I I MIL-I- .1...

Re. EVANS. SPRING CONTROLLED SPLIT SWITCH FOR RAILWAY TRACKS.

APPLICATION -FILED FEB. 24. I9IZ.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHPET 2.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

FRANCIS D. EVANS, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO PHILLIP ALEXANDER KINZIE, OF LITTLETON, COLORADO.

SPRING-CONTROLLED SPLIT SWITCH FOR RAILWAY-TRACKS.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4:, 1917.

Application filed February 24, 1917. Serial No. 150,830.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS D. EVANS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Spring-Controlled Split Switches for Railway-Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in spring-controlled split switches for railway tracks.

The object of the invention is to provide a switch which may be either electrically or manually operated, and which is springcontrolled in either direction to which it is shifted, so that when set to turn a car from the main or straight track into a siding or a branch track, it will be pushed to one side by a car coming in the opposite direction on the main track, but will immediately assume its former position when the car has passed; likewise, when set to keen the main or straight track open, it will be pushed to one side by a car coming from a branch track or siding onto the main track, and then assume its former position when the car has passed.

Further, to provide a split switch for railway tracks, which is adapted to be held in either position to which it is shifted by spring controlled mechanism which acts automatically to restore the switch to its set position when accidentally or unintentionally thrown to the other position, means being provided to vary the tension of the springs to meet requirements.

These objects are accomplished by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing portions of a main track and a branch having a connecting switch of my improved construction, which is set to turn cars from the main track into the branch track.

Fig'. 2 is a transverse, vertical sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the housing for the switch operating hand lever, on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.y

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion ofthe switch cam operating hand lever, and a portion of the shaft supporting the switch cam, showing the arrangement which permits a partial rotation of the hand lever `De-1 fore effecting the rotation of the cam supporting shaft.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the cam and a portion of its supporting shaft.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the saine.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of operating the cam shaft electrically. And

Fig. 8 is an elevation partly in section, showing the manner of operating the cam shaft in connection with an ordinary switch signal apparatus.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application:

The numeral 1 indicates the main line tracks and 2, the branch or siding tracks as the case may be, or the tracks which connect one straight track with another straight track running at right angles to the first track, as is common in city tramway construction. The usual safety castings 3 and 4 are employed where the curved track `ioins the straight track, the casting 3 comprising sections of the main incurved tracks, together with the usual guide flange 5, while the casting 4 comprises a section of the curved track, and a guide flange 6 and supports Vthe switch 7 in such relative position to both the curved and straight tracks, that it may be thrown to keep the main track open or to turn the cars from the main track into the branch or curved track.

The switch 7 is the usual tongue form of switch and is pivoted at one end tothat end of the casting 4 when the curved track begins to diverge from the straight track. The arrangement of track and switch illustrated in Fig. 1 embodies a construction in common use, and therefore forms no part of the pres-v ent invention, which resides entirely in the manner of operating and controlling the, switch, and which is as follows: y

About centrally of its length the switch is provided with a depending pin 8, which eX- tends down through a slot 9 in the casting 4, and also through a slot 10 in a casing or housing 11, which extends immediately beneath and at right angles to the casting 4. The. housing l1 adjoins or may form part of a housing 12, which extends parallel with the main or straight track 1, and a short distance to one side of the same, and this housing is provided with a hinged cover 13, which is flush with the surface of the road or street upon which the track is laid. The housing' 12 incloses the switch operating lever, as will be presently set forth.

Near the inner end of the housing 11 is formed a vertical web or wall 1li, having a bearing aperture, and a similar aperture is formed in the wall 15 which separates the housing 11 from the housing 1'2. In these bearing apertures is mounted shaft 1G, a portion of which is square in cross section, and on this squared portion of the shaft is 'slidably mounted a cylindrical metal block 17 having a cam groove 1S, extending partially around the lock, in which lies the lower end of the pin 8 of the switch 7, the cani groove having a pitch or inclination sufficient to move the switch the required distance, when the block 17 is but partially rotated. One end of the shaft 16 extends into the housing 12, and the other end thereof extends through the web 1li, and is provided with a colla-r 18A which is secured thereon, or any other suitable means for holding the shaft against endwise movement in one direction, the shaft being held against endwise movement in the opposite direction by a collar 19, which is rigidly secured to the shaft and bears against the wall 15, within the housing 12. The collar 19 has formed on its surface a segmental recess Q0, which terminates at each end in an abrupt wall, as will be understood by reference to Fig. t, and upon the shaft 16 adjoining the collar 19 is loosely mounted the hub portion of a hand lever Q1, which is held upon the shaft by a collar 92, which is rigidly secured to the shaft. The hub portion of the hand lever has a projecting lug Q3, which eX- tends int-o the segmental recess Q0 the collar 19, and it will thus be seen that if the recess 2O extends over substantially a quarter of the circumference'of the collar 19, the lever will have a sweep of a quarter of a circle before the shaft 1G is started, as the lug 23, at either limit of movement of the lever, will abut against one or the other of the ends of the recess 20, and the shaft will therefore remain stationary until the lug i3 engages the opposite end of the said recess. when further movement of the lever will cause the shaft to turn until the lever reaches the limit of its movement in that direction,

' on the said shaft 16.

mentby jamnutsv30,'which may be ads,y

justed to vary the tension of the springs and 2G, which boar against the opposite ends of the block 17 with equal pressure, so as to normally hold the said block in a position midway between the washers 27 and 28. A portion of the shaft 1G is threaded to receive the jam nuts 30, and the adjoining washer 28 fits loosely over the said threaded portion of the shaft so as to slide freely thereon, when the nuts are adjusted either to increase or diminish the tension of the springs 25 and 2G.

llllhen the lever 21 is swung to turn the shaft 16, it turns loosely on the shaft from the position shown in Fig. 3, to about a ver tical position before its lug 23 engages one end of the recess 2O of the collar 19 on the shaft, as previously described, and further movement in th-e same direction effects the turning of the shaft by the engagement of the said lug 23 with the end of the recess Q0, as will appear by reference to Fig. l. The movement of the lever, independently of the shaft, for about onedialf of the sweep of said lever, is for the following reason: The length of movement of the free end of the switch 7, from one position to the other, is not over four inches, and the pin S travels in an arc of about half the radius of that described by the free end of the switch, or about two inches, therefore, in order that the cam maybe .moved only far enoughto effect required movement of the switch, and yet have the lever start from a substantially horizontal position and swing forward to a substantially horizontal position, it is necessary thatl a part of its movement should be inoperative with respect to the shaft, it being necessary that the lever should lie horizontally at the limit of either swinging movement, in order to enter the housing 1Q, where it is out of the way of passing vehicles, and thus kept from injury or accidental movement.

rllhe springs 25 and 26 are strong enough to hold the cam block 17 against endwise movement in either direction, in shifting the switch from one position to another, and to hold the switch in either position under resilient tension.

In Fig. 1 the switch is in position to turn cars from the straight tracks 1 onto the curved tracks 2, when said cars are traveling in the direction of the arrow, but a car traveling in the opposite direction on the tracks 1y will, when it reaches the switch.l push the same to one side against the pressure of the spring 25, as the pin 8 of the said switch, which extends into the cam groove 18 of the block 17 causes the said block to slide on its shaft 16 against the said spring 25, which is thereby compressed, but as soon as the car passes the switch, the spring 25 restores the switch to its former position. The saine result would be accomplished should the switch be shifted by the wheel of a wagon or the foot of a horse. lVhen the switch is in the position shown i in dotted lines, Fig. 1, the track l is open for cars going in both directions, but a car can pass from the track 2 onto the track 1, and in so doing the switch is pushed to one side against the pressure of the spring 26, but instantly resumes its former position after the car has passed.

I/Vhile I have described the switch as manually operated by means of the hand lever' E21, it is obvious that the same operates in other ways, and in Fig. 7, which is a diagrammatic view, I have illustrated means whereby the switch may be operated electrically from a tower or from any other point. In this view the shaft 16 is provided on one end with a rigidly secured segment gear 31, which meshes with a rack bar 32, which is secured to or forms part of the plunger 33 of a solenoid 34. One terminal wire 35 of the solenoid connects with one pole of a battery 36, and the other terminal 37, connects with a contact 38 on a switch board 39; a wire 40 connects the other pole of the battery with a switch lever 41. Thus when the switch lever 41 is thrown to engage the contact 33, a circuit is established through the battery and solenoid, and the solenoid is energized, its plunger thereby retracted, and the segment gear 31 is turned, together with the shaft 16, whereby the shifting of the switch is accomplished.

In Fig. 8 the segment gear 31 on the shaft 16 is engaged by a segment rack 42 on the lower end of the supporting rod 43 of an ordinary switch signal 44, the rod 43 being supported in the usual stand 45 and being provided with a lever 46 for turning the same, which lever may be locked in either position in the usual manner.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the switch is held in either position of its swinging movement under a resilient pressure of sufficient power for the purpose, which assures the return of the switch to the position to which it has been shifted by its operating means, after being accidentally pushed away from that position, or pushed therefrom by a car or wagon coming from a direction opposite that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1.

A switch of this construction and arrangement will normally maintain its set position when shifted to permit the running of cars in both directions on the same track, or when set for turning cars going in one direction from a straight track onto a curved track, thus obviating the manual shifting of the switch when moved from its set or required position.

In some forms of track construction it is necessary to employ two switch members, and in such a case it is only necessary to extend the shaft 16 to a point beneath the other switch member, and provide a duplicate arrangement of the spring controlled cam.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a railway track construction, the combination with a pivoted switch, of a rotary member, means slidably but non-rota tably mounted on said rotaryv means for shifting said switch, and resilient means for controlling the sliding movement of said shifting means in either direction.

2. In railway track construction, the combination with a pivoted switch, of a rotary shaft and means for operating the same, a cam slidably but nonrotatably mounted on said shaft for shifting said switch, and springs for holding said cam under resilient tension in either direction of its sliding movement.

3. In railway track construction, the combination with a pivoted switch, of a rotary shaft and means for operating the same, a cam slidably but non-rotatably mounted on said shaft for shifting said switch in either direction, abutments on said shafts, and eX- pansion springs interposed between said abutmen'ts and the ends of said cam for holding said cam under resilient tension in either direction of its movement.

4. In railway track construction, the combination with a switch pivoted at one end, of a rotary shaft and means for operating 'the same, a block slidably but non-rotatably mounted on said shaft having a cam groove therein, a pin depending from said switch and projecting into said cam groove, abutments on said shaft and expansion coil springs on said shaft and interposed between said abutments and said slidable block for holding the same under resilient tension in either direction of its sliding movement.

5. In railway track construction, the combination with a pivotally mounted switch having a depending` pin, of a rotatable shaft and means for operating the same, a block slidably but non-rotatably mounted on said shaft having a cam groove into which a pin projects, abutments on said shaft, expansion coil springs on said shaft between said abutments and the ends of said block for holding the same under resilient tension in either direction of its sliding movement, and means for adjusting one of said abutments for varying the tension of the springs.

6. In railway track construction, the combination with a pivoted switch, a rotatable shaft and a cam on said shaft for shifting said switch, of an operating lever on said shaft, and means on said shaft adapted to be engaged by said lever for permitting a partial rotation of said lever on said shaft before turning said shaft.

7. In railway track construction, the combination with a pivoted switch, a rotatable shaft, a cam slidably but non-rotatably mounted on said shaft for shifting said switch, and means for resiliently controlling` the endwise movement of .said cam on said shaft, of a. collar rigidly mounted on the shaft havinga segmental recess of suitable length concentric with the axis of said collar, and a lever loosely mounted on said shaft adjoining said collar, having' a projection which extends into said segmental recess, whereby the lever is permitted a partial rotation in either direction independently oi the shaft before the said projection engages either end of said segmental recess, after Which further movement of the lever produces a corresponding' movement of 'the shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANCIS D. EVANS. I/Vitnesses:

Gr. SARGENT ELLIOTT, ADELLA M. FOWLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

